Posted: 3/28/07
BaptistWay Bible Series for Easter
Put doubt aside: ‘The Lord has risen indeed’
• Acts 8:4-8, 14-17, 26-36
Baptist Standard, Dallas
While in seminary, my family and I came in late from a grueling day and a long drive to crawl into bed.
A few days later, my neighbor across the street explained a fire had occurred at his home in the early hours of Monday morning and none of my household knew a thing about it. We had slept through the fire trucks and police, totally missing the experience, though it took place directly across the street.
We all have had the experience of being involved in, being close to, being confronted with something, but missing the meaning. We exclaim: “Say again!” “What happened?” “What did that mean?” “How do you explain that?”
There are many reasons for this reaction—expecting something else, not listening well, being distracted, not being interested, tired and sleepy, and not being wise or astute. Christianity often is missed because of all of those reasons and many more.
Granted, spiritual things are more difficult to comprehend than physical things. God has created us so that with maturity we develop a greater understanding of ourselves, others, our world and the spiritual world.
Those who experienced the crucifixion of Christ certainly did not expect to receive good news from the tomb or to see life come forth from death. Any bookmaker would take those odds all day long, that the grave could not lose the battle with life.
Each funeral I attend, each look into the casket, each observation of the casket planted under six feet of earth, I find myself amazed over the Bible’s claim of a bodily resurrected Jesus. Yet I am convinced of the testimony of Scriptures, of those who were there and of my own spiritual encounter with the living Christ, and that the resurrection is an indisputable fact of history.
Luke must have considered this account of the two on the way to Emmaus as additional critical proof that Christ was risen from the dead. If one missed the resurrection, there is enough evidence to experience it through fact and faith
This experience is recorded only in Luke. Luke places this event immediately after the resurrection as a critical and central piece of evidence. “That same day” (v. 13) would mean the day of the resurrection. The weary journey of two disciples, traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus, seven to eight miles to the west, was punctuated with curious voices and dubious questions.
A few hours before, the women had come to the tomb and found the stone rolled away. They found no body but “two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning” who said to them: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” Racing from the empty tomb, they told the 11 disciples. Amazed with disbelief, Peter ran to see for himself, found the empty tomb and wondered “to himself what had happened” (Luke 24:1-12).
Cleopas and his companion share their stories and try to sort out what they saw and heard, like Sherlock Holmes and Watson resolving a complicated murder case for Scotland Yard. When Jesus joined them, the confusion was heightened until the mystery was solved and the answer revealed. Solving the mystery of the empty tomb, the resurrection of Christ, came to them in these simple steps. The same can happen to anyone. People move from unbelief to belief in much the same way as these two on the way to Emmaus. Here is the simple formula.
Christ comes (Luke 24:13-16)
“Jesus himself came up and walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him” (v. 15). Christ came to these two in their anxiety, confusion and despair. Their bowed heads and the evening sun were symbols of their enshrouded gloom (v. 17). “Of them …” (v. 13; also “our women” in v. 22, and “our companions went to the tomb” in v. 24) affirms these two were followers, rather than curious observers. They discussed what had happened, no doubt discussing the trial, beatings, mocking, crucifixion, burial and the report of the women and Peter at the empty tomb.
In their dilemma of disbelief, mentally debating the facts, Jesus joins their dialogue and becomes their companion. Unable to recognize him, either because of Christ’s appearance or restraints upon their eyes and minds, Jesus, by his presence, helps them to understand and comprehend this dramatic and life-changing truth.
These two represent millions who know about Christ, who sometimes show up on Easter for worship and who see Jesus as a prophet, teacher and servant but struggle with belief in Christ as the Son of God and the resurrection. I have to believe that in every instance when an individual struggles between belief and disbelief, Christ is there trying to make himself known and recognized as the resurrected Savior. He takes the initiative to come just at the perfect moment and enter the dialogue as his Spirit reveals the Father and convicts of sin, prompting forgiveness unto eternal life.
Christ reveals (Luke 24:17-27)
Apparently, Christ did not reveal himself immediately to them to allow the two followers opportunity to understand that Jesus was the Son of God, more than a great teacher or prophet, the fulfillment of prophecy and the resurrected Christ.
These two had difficulty understanding how this stranger, coming from Jerusalem along the road with them, had no knowledge of what had happened the past few days (v. 18). Jesus went along by asking, “What things?” (v. 19). The response leaves no doubt the two were participants, had full knowledge of the events surrounding Christ and expressed their disappointment that he would not be, “the one who was going to redeem Israel” (v. 21).
“Redeem,” has the sense of “rescue” or “to open what is closed” referring to a political or military rescue. Crucifixion and death had taken away their hope, but, on the other hand, the women and others had declared that Jesus was “alive” (v. 23).
These two considered Jesus a prophet, “powerful in word and deed before God and all the people” (v. 19). Jesus challenges them with: “How foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken? Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” (vv. 24-26). “Foolish” (v. 25) means “unintelligible, irrational, inconceivable, unwise.”
A suffering Messiah, though taught in prophecy, was difficult to accept. Jesus proceeded to show them “what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (v. 27). The Jewish Scriptures—the Law, the Writings and the Prophets—all anticipated the coming of Messiah and Jesus showed them clearly that he, and no other, was the fulfillment of the long-awaited promise of prophecy. No one could explain this better than Jesus who “opened the Scriptures to us” (v. 32).
Anyone, in any era of history, can examine Scripture and discover the truth of Christ, if they search with an open mind and receptive heart. Christ has ascended to the Father but left the Holy Scriptures and the enlightening Holy Spirit to bear witness of the true identify of Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ.
People have to know. Someone has to explain. The Apostle Paul said: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14, also see Acts 8:26-40 concerning Phillip and the Ethiopian).
Understanding and accepting the truth of God’s word can be difficult and challenging. With each passing generation, the culture of the Bible becomes more vague and distant while language barriers intensify. The work of preaching, teaching and interpretation becomes more and more difficult, complicated by a secular society. All of this makes it increasingly necessary and pressing. Christ reveals himself to us, tugs silently at our spirit, knocks at the door of our heart and offers the gift of forgiveness and eternal life.
Christ convicts (Luke24:28-32)
The three came to Emmaus, and two of them, still without recognition of the identity of this informed stranger, begged the third one, Jesus, to stay over because the day was spent. Jesus agreed to stay with them. No doubt, the two understood the cultural concept of hospitality, but mostly, they realized this stranger was well informed, had in-depth knowledge of Scripture and possessed exceptional spiritual insight. More time would allow further exploration of God’s word in relationship to a suffering Jesus (v. 26) and a living Messiah.
As they shared the evening meal in one of their homes, Jesus assumed the leadership role and “took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them” (v. 30). At that moment, “their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (v. 31).
Yes, indeed, Christ was risen and alive. The scales fell off, the light came on and the heart believed what the mind had reasoned. The facts were believable but now the Christ was accepted. The Son of God has been revealed to them and now the living Lord has entered their hearts. The intellectual spiritual life had trusted the truth, and spiritual rebirth took place through conviction and acceptance. The excitement of belief stirred within them like a burning fire (v. 32).
The immediate reaction was to go and tell the others in Jerusalem of this amazing, incredible experience. Quickly, they found the apostles and all the others and added to the testimony that Christ had been seen alive, a few miles away. He actually was with them and then, he disappeared.
One can hardly imagine a more enthusiastic and ecstatic witness to faith. Doubt has been canceled, and the evidence was compelling and indisputable. The resurrection could not and would not be denied. The knowledge and belief in the resurrection kindled a fire in the hearts of these two. I only can assume these two may have been in the 120 who gathered in the upper room and waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit and part of the crowd that spilled out into Jerusalem and beyond to Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
The missional church believes in the authority of God’s revelation to man, the credibility of its witness to human experience, salvation through Christ as the only answer to the sinfulness of man, the power of the Spirit of God to bring Scripture to life and the eternal truths that teach morals and missions. Scripture is at the heart of the work of the missional church. The resurrection is the heart of Scripture, and consequently, the heart of the contemporary church.
Discussion question
• How can we more readily experience and more willingly share the good news about Jesus?
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